Winter is fading in New England, but the days still can be cold, so my season of soup making is not done yet. However, as soup season has been in place for several months, I was ready to try something new last week.

My husband suggested making a soup with an Asian flair, and thus, Hot & Sour Soup was created. Although not quite something the kids wanted, it was a perfect soup for the two of us.

With different kid-dinners planned, we were free to add exotic ingredients that would be considered repulsive by our younger diners. While tofu, chicken, and mushrooms are acceptable, I wasn’t sure what sort of reception bamboo shoots or red curry paste would receive. For us, they were excellent additions.

This soup definitely had a little bit of a kick to it, though admittedly I don’t eat foods that are crazily spicy. A batch of homemade spring roll chips made a delicious contrast to the soup, offering a bit of crunch and no heat.